After being a bit disenchanted with this year's draft, I decided to look back at the 2009 Superbowl Champion Saints roster and just see how many "starters" were even drafted by us. I definined "starter" pretty loosely, including players who were basically regular contributors like Jenkins, Bushrod, Bell, Hargrove, etc who's starting status could certainly be argued.
Turns out the majority of our impact players are free-agent pick-ups or acquired by trade. The Superbowl team was basically built on a roster of free agents with a couple of Payloo picks sprinkled in. I don't know how this compares to other teams' rosters. Nor, do I know if this is skewed by Payloo only having participated in 4 drafts. Regardless, I thought it was interesting food for thought. The breakdown is after the jump.
OFFENSE
QB - Drew Brees - FA
RB - Pierre Thomas - FA
RB - Reggie Bush - 2006 rd1
RB - Mike Bell - FA
WR - Marques Colston - 2006 rd7
WR - Devery Henderson - not drafted by payloo
WR - Robert Meachem - 2007 rd1
WR - Lance Moore - FA
WR - Courtney Roby - FA
TE - Jeremy Shockey - trade
TE - Dave Thomas - trade
FB - Heath Evans - FA
C - Jonathon Goodwin - FA
G - Jahri Evans - 2006 rd4
G - Carl Nicks - 2008 rd5
T - Jamal Brown - not drafted by payloo
T - Jon Stinchcomb - not drafted by payloo
T - Jermon Bushrod - 2007 rd4
P - Thomas Moorestead - 2009 rd5
K - Garrett Hartley - FA
DEFENSE
DT - Sedrick Ellis - 2008 rd1
DT - Anthony Hargrove - FA
DT - DeMario Pressley - FA
DE - Will Smith - not drafted by payloo
DE - Charles Grant - not drafted by payloo
DE - Bobby McCray - FA
LB - Jon Vilma - FA
LB - Scott Shanle - FA
LB - Scott Fujita - FA
S - Darren Sharper - FA
S - Roman Harper - 2006 rd2
CB - Jabari Greer - FA
CB - Tracy Porter - 2008 rd2
CB - Randall Gay - FA
CB - Malcolm Jenkins - 2009 rd1
Total Number of "Starters": 35
Number of FAs: 17
Number Acquired by Trade: 2
Number Drafted by Saints: 16
Number Drafted by Payloo: 11
Percent by FA/trade: 54%
Percent Drafted: 45%
Percent Drafted by Payloo: 31%